Modular furniture is known in the art, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,728 to Redemske discloses plastic modular furniture. The invention utilizes a plurality of plastic base modules having grooves formed on one face thereof. The base modules cooperate with various shells for sitting, sleeping, storage, and table tops. Each shell includes a perimetal edge for engaging the grooves on one of the base modules.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,065 to Chacon discloses a number of wooden panels to cover the entire areas of a back, a seat, or an end of a sofa or chair. The panels have tabs or hooks which fit into slots. Wedge shaped pegs are then used to secure the furniture components together.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,874,729 4,523,787, 4,932,720, 4,919,485 and 5,069,506 disclose various other embodiments of modular furniture.
Modular benches are also known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,480 to Drew discloses a sectional bench. The bench includes two A-shaped support members, a seat section and a plurality of slats secured to the A-shaped support members.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,012 to Abelman discloses a joining pedestal for benches assembled in a line. The pedestal has a lower post with a wide top to seat meeting end portions of adjoining bench seats. The end portions have setbacks to receive the shank of an upper pedestal portion. The upper pedestal extends rearwardly for attachment of a back portion. Before assembly of the pedestal, bench seat and back portion the joining areas are coated with an adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,281 to Keils discloses a seating structure for a child. The seating structure includes a box constructed of blow molded panels. The panels are connected at the ends with a pin that slides through apertures oriented transversely with respect to the panels. A bench seat is positioned within the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,546 to Geibel discloses a knockdown paperboard chair with a storage space. The paperboard chair is constructed from two blanks. One blank incorporates the back section and the side panels. Seat flaps are cut out from the side panels in such a way that the assembled chair resembles a swing chair and bottom flaps are interfolded together to form a base structure. A second blank forms a front section, a seat cover and a bottom flap.
Other U.S. Patents that disclose seats having storage areas positioned below the seat include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,395, 5,692,335, 5,727,844, 6,390,551, 6,664,523.
Such prior art systems, while working well, have not met all of the needs of manufacturers to provide a product that can be easily manufactured, packaged and shipped or the needs of consumers requiring structural integrity combined with modularity, aesthetic appearance and ease of assembly.
Paramount among such needs is a panel system which creates a patio bench which resists panel separation, buckling, racking and weather infiltration. Security is a further consideration, the storage box formed by the panels must tie into the side panels and base panel in such a way as to unify the entire enclosure.
Also, from a versatility standpoint, a seat panel should be present which can be easily installed after assembly of the side and bottom components and which provides dependable security and pivoting access to the contents of the storage box.
There are also commercial considerations that must be satisfied by any viable patio bench system or kit; considerations which are not entirely satisfied by state of the art products. The patio bench must be formed of relatively few component parts that are inexpensive to manufacture by conventional techniques. The patio bench must also be capable of being packaged and shipped in a knocked-down state. In addition, the system must be modular and facilitate the creation of a family of patio benches that vary in appearance and functionality but which share common, interchangeable components.
Finally, there are ergonomic needs that a patio bench system must satisfy in order to achieve acceptance by the end user. The system must be easily and quickly assembled using minimal hardware and requiring a minimal number of tools. Further, the system must not require excessive strength to assemble or include heavy component parts. Moreover, the system must assemble together in such a way so as not to detract from the internal storage volume of the resulting storage box or otherwise negatively affect the utility of the patio bench.